Carmelo Anthony Should Take a Lesson From Steve Nash

[dpaps]

I think it's hard to tell somebody that he has to spend his entire career in a city simply because that's the team that drafted him.

Nash is comfortable in his living and playing situation.  Carmelo isn't, for whatever reason.  Since the money will be the same, or more, if he stays in Denver, it seems like he has priorities outside of money.  I can't hate on a guy for leaving to pursue happiness elsewhere.

The only time I get upset by FAs moving on is when you have a situation like Lebron's, where the organization catered to his every wish and he still couldn't give them the respect of being straight up about his intentions.  That was handled in a no-class manner, and Lebron deserves the ridicule he got.  

However, Carmelo isn't doing that.  Rather, he's told his franchise he's leaving, and is letting them shop him for compensation.  He isn't threatening to block trades, he's just not committing to an extension right now.

Is the Carmelo situation so different than the KG (or Pierce) situations, where KG talked about opting out and leaving, and Pierce talked about "pulling a Kobe" and demanding a trade?

All that said, I do like Steve Nash.  I'm disappointed that the organization hasn't built a winner around him.

KG spent more then a decade with a team that never came close to giving him enough talent. KG would have loved some of the help Carmelo had in Denver at times.

What is this great supporting cast in Denver? In my opinion, they have NEVER been a championship contender. They've never been close to being as good as the Lakers or Celtics since 2008.

Billups then what...JR Smith? Kenyon Martin? Aaron Afflalo? Birdman? Shelden Williams? Gary Forbes?

If the Nuggets faced us in the finals I would bet my mortgage on the Green. I'd also bet my mortgage that the Nuggets wouldn't get through the Lakers.

KG had Sam Cassell and Spreewell. They made the 2004 Conference Finals. Pierce made the Conference Finals with us in 2001. Would Pierce have been that terrible of a person if we had won the lottery in 2007 instead of trading for KG and Ray Ray, and he had asked for a trade?

AI and DPOY Camby have been there. Martin is a great defender. Nene is a legit big-man on offense. Billups is a legit PG. He has always been surrounded by players. Lebron would have had great success with those rosters.

Yeah Iverson was great by that point in his career, and we know Kmart is the NBA's Brett Favre, never misses a game, you can always count on Kenyon to contribute every game.

 So what's your point? That because Melo has had a little bit of talent around him he's not allowed to leave in Free Agency??? Ridiculous.

[Who]

Nash left the Mavs and signed with the Suns. Melo is going to do the same. The Nuggest don't want to lose him for "nothing" so they are shopping him. He said "I won't sign an extension anywhere except the knicks."

I think the OP's characterization of Nash versus Melo is unfair.

Nash played out his contract and didn't ask for a trade in the last year of his if I remember correctly.

Yeah, Nash went to the Suns because, for whatever reason, the Mavs weren't willing to pay him a fair contract.  Considering how many players the Mavs have overpaid over the years, that has to be the worst mistake they've made in the past decade, right?  Nash + Dirk and a cast of guys who can shoot, rebound, and play defense would've been at least one title.

But Brendan is right in the sense that Nash would have had a great chance to win a title if he had stayed with the Mavs. 

I don't think Nash or Dirk would have become the players they became if they had of stuck together.

They needed to move away to take that next step in their careers.

I doubt Dallas makes the Finals in 2006 or any other year if they kept Nash.

[Who]

Steve Nash doesn't care about winning. It's not important enough to him.

[houlana]

I disagree with people saying melo is doing the right thing.

he should go to management and be clear what his intentions are. if he knows that he will sign elsewhere when his contract runs out, then he should be clear about it. this way the nuggets could trade and get some value back for him rather than him leaving them as a free agent and them not get value in return.

but melo has been playing hard for the nuggets every game, it would just be sad if he left at the end of the season making it a disaster for denver

[Roy H.]

I disagree with people saying melo is doing the right thing.

he should go to management and be clear what his intentions are. if he knows that he will sign elsewhere when his contract runs out, then he should be clear about it. this way the nuggets could trade and get some value back for him rather than him leaving them as a free agent and them not get value in return.

Isn't that what he's doing?  He's going out of his way not to make the trade demands public, but every report from behind the scenes has been that 1) he's going to become a free agent, 2) he won't sign an extension with any team but the Knicks, and 3) he's likely to sign in New York.

[Fafnir]

AI and DPOY Camby have been there. Martin is a great defender. Nene is a legit big-man on offense. Billups is a legit PG. He has always been surrounded by players. Lebron would have had great success with those rosters.

Its hard to fault Melo for not being as good as LeBron. I mean he's the best SF since Bird by a fairly wide margin as well as a two time MVP.

[Roy H.]

AI and DPOY Camby have been there. Martin is a great defender. Nene is a legit big-man on offense. Billups is a legit PG. He has always been surrounded by players. Lebron would have had great success with those rosters.

The team got rid of Camby for financial issue, so I'm not sure that's a ringing endorsement for why Carmelo should stay in Denver.

Kmart and Nene is one of the worst starting big men combinations in the league; they're pretty much the definition of mediocrity.  Billups is 34 years old.

Basically, the Nuggets are filled with mediocre to pretty good players, many of whom are over the hill.  Denver is about a season away from a total rebuild, with or without Carmelo.  What reason, other than blind loyalty, is there for him to stay in Denver?

[Fafnir]

AI and DPOY Camby have been there. Martin is a great defender. Nene is a legit big-man on offense. Billups is a legit PG. He has always been surrounded by players. Lebron would have had great success with those rosters.

The team got rid of Camby for financial issue, so I'm not sure that's a ringing endorsement for why Carmelo should stay in Denver.

Kmart and Nene is one of the worst starting big men combinations in the league; they're pretty much the definition of mediocrity.  Billups is 34 years old.

Basically, the Nuggets are filled with mediocre to pretty good players, many of whom are over the hill.  Denver is about a season away from a total rebuild, with or without Carmelo.  What reason, other than blind loyalty, is there for him to stay in Denver?

Well if he can't get traded to a team he wants to sign with, money. But that is the only reason I can think of.

[boom]

This may be the most ridiculous tread to ever appear on this site, including the bring back Walker and Gerald Green topics.

What is Melo doing wrong? He's becoming a free agent at the end of the year, and made it known to his organization to start planning for his departure. He has no obligation to sign an extension Denver places in front of him, just like the organization has no obligation to put an extension in front of Melo. If anything, he should be PRAISED for giving Denver enough time to get their act together, and not ripping the heart out of their fans at the last possible second.


This whole thread is absurd.

[boom]

In related news:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote early Tuesday that Carmelo Anthony is inclined to accept a trade and contact extension to the Nets, only if the Nets are able to bring back a significant amount of talent with him in the trade.
The proposed deal would involve multiple teams and is not imminent, but early February has been thrown out as a target. For now, the Nets are preparing to send Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy, 2-3 first round draft picks, and $3 million minimally for Anthony and Al Harrington, and Wojo writes that more Nets and Nuggets could be on the move. From the Nets, only Brook Lopez is off limits, and other names mentioned include Devin Harris, J.R. Smith, and Chauncey Billups. Two other teams have contacted the Nuggets about "renting" Melo, as well. Game on. Dec. 21 - 8:37 am et
Source: Yahoo! Sports

[StartOrien]

AI and DPOY Camby have been there. Martin is a great defender. Nene is a legit big-man on offense. Billups is a legit PG. He has always been surrounded by players. Lebron would have had great success with those rosters.

The team got rid of Camby for financial issue, so I'm not sure that's a ringing endorsement for why Carmelo should stay in Denver.

Kmart and Nene is one of the worst starting big men combinations in the league; they're pretty much the definition of mediocrity.  Billups is 34 years old.

Basically, the Nuggets are filled with mediocre to pretty good players, many of whom are over the hill.  Denver is about a season away from a total rebuild, with or without Carmelo.  What reason, other than blind loyalty, is there for him to stay in Denver?

Not to mention that this should be treated like a gift for Denver. They're going to get a haul for Carmelo Anthony, and will have two other pieces they could trade. For a team that's seen their peak, they're on the verge of getting a bail out when it comes to rebuilding.

[Finkelskyhook]

Steve Nash is all class.

LOL.  Los Nash, who takes any opportunity in front of him to trash the country who made him wealthy beyond comprehension, is even more classless than the snitchster.  Los Nash will never get a ring no matter what team he's on unless he's playing a bit role.  Amazing offensive player who makes Dan Dickau look like Gary Payton in his prime defensively.

The one thing I'll say for the snitchster is that he brings it on the court. 

[Fafnir]

Steve Nash is all class.

LOL.  Los Nash, who takes any opportunity in front of him to trash the country who made him wealthy beyond comprehension, is even more classless than the snitchster.  Los Nash will never get a ring no matter what team he's on unless he's playing a bit role.  Amazing offensive player who makes Dan Dickau look like Gary Payton in his prime defensively.

The one thing I'll say for the snitchster is that he brings it on the court. 

I don't think its classesless for Nash to speak up for his political beliefs. I don't think he's ever done so in a disrespectful way from the stories I've seen.

[Chris]

Personally, I think Nash just loves playing Golf on his off days, and has no interest in living anyplace other than Phoenix.

Melo on the other hand does not want to live in Denver anymore, and he has told them so. 

I have no problem with what either of them are doing, and I don't think "classiness" has anything to do with deciding where you would like to live and raise your family.

And lets be clear, Melo is not demanding a trade.  He does not have that kind of power.  He is just telling the Nuggets that he is not resigning with them, so they can get something for him before its too late.

[Moranis]

Denver rather then trading Melo could also try to bring in younger talented players to play with Melo and try and convince him to stay.  Orlando and Phoenix just completely overhauled their rosters, where was Denver in those trades.  Cleveland is thought to be selling pretty much everyone on their roster, where is Denver in that.  Denver needs to make some moves and show Melo they are serious about competing and convince him to stay or it needs to move him.